The present invention relates to liquid-crystal-panel driver IC (Integrated Circuit) packages for driving a liquid crystal panel, and to liquid crystal panel modules.
It has often been the case, conventionally, that a liquid-crystal-panel driver IC for driving a liquid crystal panel is mounted on a liquid crystal panel in the form of a liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP (Tape Carrier Package), which is a form of semiconductor device package. FIG. 10 shows a plan view of a liquid crystal panel module on which such a liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP is mounted. As shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCPs 102 are mounted on opposite two longer-edge sides of a liquid crystal panel 101. The liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP 102 comprises a semiconductor chip 103, outer leads (not shown) on the output-terminal side, and outer leads (not shown) on the input-terminal side. The output-terminal side outer leads of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP 102 are connected to the liquid crystal panel 101, while the input-terminal side outer leads of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP 102 are connected to an input connection board 104 (flexible board or printed board). The individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP 102 serves for signal transmission of clock signals, synchronization signals and the like as well as for power supply via interconnection lines (not shown) on this input connection board 104.
In recent years, because of the market""s demands for more lightweight, thinner, shorter and smaller products, downsizing has become indispensable also for the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCPs to be mounted onto liquid crystal panels. As a response to such demands, the present applicant has proposed a liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication HEI 6-3684.
FIG. 11 shows a plan view of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP described in the Publication HEI 6-3684. This liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP is designed to perform transmission of clock signals, synchronization signals and the like as well as power supply by making use of the interconnection lines within a liquid crystal driver chip 117. In this liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP, a rectangular-shaped liquid crystal driver chip 117 is mounted on a base tape 101, output leads 115 are provided on the base tape 101 on one longer-edge side of the liquid crystal driver chip 117, and input leads 111, 112 each transmitting signals S1-S7 are provided on the other opposite two shorter-edge sides of the liquid crystal driver chip 117 on the base tape 101. Then, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCPs are disposed so as to adjoin the liquid crystal panel, while a slit 113 having the input leads 111 and connecting leads 114 of the input leads 112 of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP are overlaid on each other so that the input leads 111, 112 of liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCPs are connected to each other. This makes it possible to perform signal transmission and power supply to the individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCPs, thereby eliminating the input connection board (flexible board or printed board) 104 shown in FIG. 10. Thus, the picture-frame size of the liquid crystal panel module can be reduced.
However, along with growing demands for even more lightweight, thinner, shorter and smaller liquid crystal panel modules, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC is further advancing in size reduction and slimming in thickness. On this account, there have arisen needs for mounting liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCPs, on each of which a liquid-crystal-panel driver IC is mounted, further compactly on the liquid crystal panel, as well as for further reducing the picture-frame size of the liquid crystal panel module.
Therefore, it would be conceived, as one method for reducing the picture-frame size of the liquid crystal panel module, to bend the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP by 90xc2x0. In this case, however, there are problems that the liquid crystal panel module would become thicker while jigs for securing this bent liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP would be necessitated. Moreover, there are fears that when the bent liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP is led around and fixed to the rear face side of backlight or the like, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP could not be fixed until all the components and units such as the backlight are integrated together, and that the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC TCP might be damaged by the bending or other work.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package which can be mounted compactly on a liquid crystal panel without using any fixing jigs, and to provide a liquid crystal panel module which can be downsized by reducing the picture-frame size with the use of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package.
In order to achieve the above object, according to this invention, there is provided a liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package comprising:
an insulative base;
a liquid-crystal-panel driver IC mounted on the insulative base;
output leads which are provided on the insulative base on one side of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC, and which are connected to the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC; and
input leads which are provided on the insulative base on the other side of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC, and which are connected to the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC, wherein
a bending slit is provided on part of the insulative base where the output leads are provided such that the output leads remain in the bending slit.
According to this liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package, the bending slit is provided while the output leads (wiring patterns) are left on the output leads side of the insulative base on which the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC is mounted, and the insulative base is bent over at the bending slit. For example, the insulative base is bent over so that main parts of the output leads to be connected to the liquid crystal panel are positioned on the rear side and that the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC and the input leads are positioned on the front side, then the main parts of the output leads are connected to the wiring of the liquid crystal panel, and the resulting liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package is mounted on the liquid crystal panel. Thus, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package can be mounted in the bent state compactly on the liquid crystal panel.
In one embodiment, the insulative base is a base tape.
According to this liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package, since the insulative base is the base tape, the bending of the base tape at the bending slit can be easily achieved.
Also, in one embodiment, the insulative base is a flexible board.
According to this embodiment, since the insulative base is the flexible board, there are no device holes into which resin mold is filled for protecting the output leads and the input leads (writing patterns) as well as the bumps of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC to which those wiring patterns are connected, as would be involved in the case of the base tape, making the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package easier to handle. Besides, since there are no swells of the resin mold to be filled into such a device hole, upper and lower parts of the flexible board are laid on each other in a just fit when the flexible board is bent. Thus, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package can be made lower in height and mounted more compactly.
Also, in one embodiment, the input leads are first input leads and second input leads which are respectively provided on the insulative base so as to extend bilaterally outwardly generally perpendicularly to a direction in which the output leads extend from the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC, and
connecting slits are respectively provided on parts of the insulative base where the first and second input leads are provided, respectively, such that the first and second input leads are exposed in the connecting slits.
According to this embodiment, when this liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are set to the liquid crystal panel so as to make an array in some plural number, parts of the insulative bases having the first and second input leads of mutually adjoining liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are laid on each other. Then, the first input leads and second input leads of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are electrically connected to each other at the connecting slits provided on the insulative bases. Thus, the need for the connection board such as a flexible board or a printed board is eliminated, so that the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package can be further downsized and reduced in cost.
Also, in one embodiment, the input leads are first input leads and second input leads which are respectively provided on the insulative base so as to extend bilaterally outwardly generally perpendicularly to a direction in which the output leads extend from the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC,
a connecting slit is provided on one part of the insulative base where the first input leads are provided such that the first input leads are exposed in the connecting slit, and
a resist-uncoated connecting portion is provided on the other part of the insulative base where the second input leads are provided.
According to this embodiment, when this liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are set to the liquid crystal panel so as to make an array in some plural number, parts of the insulative bases having the first and second input leads of mutually adjoining liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are laid on each other. In this case, laying their parts on each other with their connecting slit side up makes the connection by solder or the like easier. Then, the first-input leads and the second input leads of the individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are electrically connected to each other at the connecting slit provided on the first input leads side of the insulative base and the resist-uncoated connecting portion provided on the second input leads side. Thus, the need for the connection board such as a flexible board or a printed board is eliminated, so that the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package can be further downsized and reduced in cost. Besides, the provision of the resist-uncoated connecting portion on the second input leads side of the insulative base prevents disconnections of the first input leads and the second input leads at the connecting slit and the resist-uncoated connecting portion. Thus, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package can be further improved in reliability and made easier to handle.
Also, in one embodiment, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC has two identical-signal terminals to which the first and second input leads are connected, respectively, and
the two identical-signal terminals are electrically connected to each other within the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC.
According to this embodiment, since the two identical-signal terminals to which the first input leads and the second input leads are connected, respectively, are electrically connected to each other within the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC, the first input leads and the second input leads of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages can be connected to each other via the liquid-crystal-panel driver ICs without any connecting lines when this liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package is set to the liquid crystal panel so as to make an array in some plural number.
Also, in one embodiment, there is provided a liquid crystal panel module which comprises:
a first glass substrate and a second glass substrate laminated together with a specified spacing so as to seal liquid crystals therebetween, and to form, on at least one edge side of the first, second glass substrates, a step region for setting therein the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages in which each insulative base is bent at the bending slit and folded;
liquid-crystal driving wiring which is provided in the step region of the first, second glass substrates, and to which the output leads of the individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages disposed so as to be arrayed along the step region are electrically connected; and
a connection board which has connecting lines serving for connecting the input leads of each liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package to each other, and which is disposed on each liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package.
According to the liquid crystal panel module of this embodiment, the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate-are laminated together with a specified spacing so as to seal liquid crystals therebetween, and liquid-crystal driving wiring is provided in the step region formed on at least one edge side of the first, second glass substrates. The liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages, in each of which the insulative base is bent over at the bending slit and folded, are disposed so as to be arrayed along the step region. The output leads of the individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are connected to the liquid-crystal driving wiring of the step region. Then, the connection board is disposed on the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages, and the input leads of the individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are electrically connected to each other by the connecting lines of the connection board. With this arrangement, signal transmission of clock signals, synchronization signals and the like as well as power supply are implemented via the connecting lines of the connection board. Therefore, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages can be mounted compactly on the liquid crystal panel formed of the first, second glass substrates without using any fixing jigs. Thus, a liquid crystal panel module that can be downsized by reducing the picture-frame size can be provided.
Also, in one embodiment, there is provided a liquid crystal panel module which comprises:
a first glass substrate and a second glass substrate laminated together with a specified spacing so as to seal liquid crystals therebetween, and to form, on at least one edge side of the first, second glass substrates, a step region for setting therein the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages in which each insulative base is bent at the bending slit and folded; and
liquid-crystal driving wiring which is provided in the step region of the first, second glass substrates, and to which the output leads of the individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages disposed so as to be arrayed along the step region are electrically connected, wherein
the connecting slits of mutually adjoining liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are superimposed on each other so that the first input leads and second input leads of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are electrically connected to each other at the connecting slits.
According to the liquid crystal panel module of this embodiment, the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate are laminated together with a specified spacing so as to seal liquid crystals therebetween, and the liquid-crystal driving wiring is provided in the step region formed on at least one edge side of the first, second glass substrates. The liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages, in each of which the insulative base is bent over at the bending slit and folded, are disposed so as to be arrayed along the step region. The output leads of the individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are connected to the liquid-crystal driving wiring of the step region. Then, the connecting slits of mutually adjoining liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are laid on each other, so that the first input leads and the second input leads of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are electrically connected to each other at the connecting slits. With this arrangement, signal transmission of clock signals, synchronization signals and the like as well as power supply are implemented. Therefore, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages can be mounted compactly on the liquid crystal panel formed of the first, second glass substrates without using any fixing jigs, allowing the liquid crystal panel module to be downsized by reducing the picture-frame size. Also, the connecting slits of mutually adjoining liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are laid on each other, so that the first input leads and the second input leads of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are electrically connected to each other at the connecting slits. Thus, the need for the connection board such as a flexible board or a printed board is eliminated, and the liquid crystal panel module can be further downsized and reduced in cost.
Also, in one embodiment, there is provided a liquid crystal panel module which comprises:
a first glass substrate and a second glass substrate laminated together with a specified spacing so as to seal liquid crystals therebetween, and to form, on at least one edge side of the first, second glass substrates, a step region for setting therein the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages in which each insulative base is bent at the bending slit and folded; and
liquid-crystal driving wiring which is provided in the step region of the first, second glass substrates, and to which the output leads of the individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages disposed so as to be arrayed along the step region are electrically connected, wherein
the connecting slit and the resist-uncoated connecting portion of mutually adjoining liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are superimposed on each other so that the first input leads and second input leads of the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are electrically connected to each other at the connecting slits and the resist-uncoated connecting portions.
According to the liquid crystal panel module of this embodiment, the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate are laminated together with a specified spacing so as to seal liquid crystals therebetween, and liquid-crystal driving wiring is provided in the step region formed on at least one edge side of the first, second glass substrates. The liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages, in each of which the insulative base is bent over at the bending slit and folded, are disposed so as to be arrayed along the step region. The output leads of the individual liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are connected to the liquid-crystal driving wiring of the step region. Then, the connecting slits and the resist-uncoated connecting portions of mutually adjoining liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are laid on each other so that the first input leads and the second input leads of the mutually adjoining liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are electrically connected to each other at the connecting slits and the resist-uncoated connecting portions. By so doing, signal transmission of clock signals, synchronization signals and the like as well as power supply are implemented. Therefore, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages can be mounted compactly on the liquid crystal panel formed of the first, second glass substrates without using any fixing jigs, and the liquid crystal panel module can be downsized by reducing its picture-frame size. Also, the parts of the insulative base having the first input leads and the second input leads of mutually adjoining liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are overlaid on each other, and the first input leads and the second input leads are electrically connected to each other at the connecting slits and the resist-uncoated connecting portions. With this arrangement, signal transmission of clock signals, synchronization signals and the like as well as power supply are implemented. Therefore, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages can be mounted compactly on the liquid crystal panel formed of the first, second glass substrates without using any fixing jigs. Thus, the liquid crystal panel module can be downsized by reducing the picture-frame size. Also, the first input leads and the second input leads are electrically connected to each other at the connecting slits and the resist-uncoated connecting portions. Thus, the need for the connection board such as a flexible board or a printed board is eliminated, so that the liquid crystal panel module can be further downsized and reduced in cost. Moreover, since the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC package has the resist-uncoated connecting portion provided on the second input leads side of the insulative base, disconnections of the second input leads where this resist-uncoated connecting portion is provided can be prevented, and the liquid crystal panel module can be further improved in reliability and made easier to handle.
Also, in one embodiment, the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are placed within the step region of the first, second glass substrates.
According to the liquid crystal panel module of this embodiment, since the liquid-crystal-panel driver IC packages are placed in the step region of the first, second glass substrates, the liquid crystal panel module can be further downsized.